Судова система Британії та США. / Courts System in Britain and the USA.

Her Majesty's Courts of Justice of England and Wales are the civil and criminal courts responsible for the administration of justice in England and Wales; they apply the law of England and Wales and are established under Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The House of Lords is the highest appeal court in almost all cases in England and Wales. The judicial functions of the House of Lords are entirely separate from its legislative role with only the Law Lords hearing the appeals from the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The House is also the court of trial in impeachment cases. The Supreme Court was created by the Judicature Acts as "Supreme Court of Judicature". It was renamed the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 1981. It is the most important superior court of England and Wales and consists of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice and the Crown Court. The Crown Court is a criminal court of both original and appellate jurisdiction which in addition handles a limited amount of civil business both at first instance and on appeal.

28. Система освіти у Великій Британії та CША. / The Education System of Great Britain (the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).

Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged between 5 and 16 (inclusive) across England. This can be provided by state schools, independent schools, or homeschooling. About 94 per cent of pupils in England, and the rest of the UK, receive free education from public funds, while 6 per cent attend independent fee paying schools or homeschooling. All government-run schools, state schools, follow the same National Curriculum.

The school year runs from September to July and is 39 weeks long. For many areas the year is divided into six terms: September to October, October to December, January to February, February to March, April to May, June to July. The dates for school terms and holidays are decided by the local authority or the governing body of a school, or by the school itself for independent schools.

The main categories of school are:

• local authority maintained schools (State Schools). Free to all children between the ages of 5 – 16.
• independent schools (Private/Public Schools). Parents pay for their children's' education.

State Schools

State schools are non fee-paying, funded from taxes and most are organised by Local Authorities. Parents are expected to make sure that their child has a pen, pencil, ruler etc. but the cost of other more specialised equipment, books, examination fees are covered by the school. Parents are, however, expected to pay for their child's school uniform and items of sports wear. Charges may also be made for music lessons and for board and lodgings on residential trips.

Primary schools (5 - 11 years old)

In the UK, the first level of education is known as primary education. These are almost always mixed sex, and usually located close to the child's home. Children tend to be with the same group throughout the day, and one teacher has responsibility for most of the work they do. Parents are strongly encouraged to help their children, particularly with reading and writing, and small amounts of homework are set to all children, even during the early years at school. The classrooms are large and every classroom, in the main teaching block, has its own resource area. In all classrooms there is a computer, overhead projector, an interactive whiteboard and flip chart.

Secondary schools (11 - 16 years old)

Most children transfer at the age of 11 - usually to their nearest secondary school. A place has to be offered at the parents' preferred school. Most secondary schools are for both sexes. They tend to be much larger than primary schools.. All children in state schools are tested in English and mathematics at the ages of 7, 11 and 14, and pupils aged 11 and 14 are also tested in science.

Nearly 88 per cent of secondary school pupils in England go to comprehensive schools. They take children of all abilities and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from 11 to 16 or 18. All children in Scotland go to non-selective schools.

Grammar Schools are selective, they offer academically oriented general education. Entrance is based on a test of ability, usually at 11 (11+). Grammar schools are single sexed schools. Children either go to a Boys Grammar School or a Girls Grammar School. There are grammar schools in Northern Ireland and some parts of England.

The attendance of every child attending school each morning and afternoon is recorded in a special book. The teacher reads out each child’s name in turn. On hearing his/her name, the child replies 'yes Mrs. (teacher's name)' and the teacher notes down in the book whether the child is in school or not.

The school syllabus is divided into: - Arts (Humanities) – English Language and Literature, History, foreign languages, Music, Art, Drama - Sciences – Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Economics, Technical Drawing, Biology, Geography

The compulsory subjects are General Science, PE, Home Economics (for girls), Technical subjects (for boys)

Independent Schools
7% of the children in England go to independent schools. Independent schools are known as private schools and public schools. Parents pay for their children to attend these schools. Public schools in England are not run by the government. The entrance exams used by most public schools are known as Common Entrance exams and are taken at the age of 11 (girls) or 13 (boys). A preparatory school is a school to prepare pupils to go to a public school. The most famous public schools are Eton, Harrow and Winchester.

Higher Education

Both state schools and independent schools take the GCSE examinations, which mark the end of compulsory education at the age of 16 but around 30% of the British youth enter full-time higher education. Students study in either the Sixth Form at school, a Sixth form college, or a further education college. These courses can also be studied by adults over 18. Each school or sixth-form college has its School or College Council. It helps to plan the policy for the whole school, organizes the social and cultural life at the school.

Students normally enter universities or colleges of education from 18 onwards and study for an Academic Degree. There are about 100 universities in Britain. They differ in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, methods of instruction, way of student life. The formal entry requirements to most degree courses are two A-levels at grade E or above. Apart from private universities, all undergraduate education is largely state financed (with tuition fees set at a maximum index-linked £3,145 per year, repayable after graduation on attaining a certain level of income, and with the state paying all fees for students from the poorest backgrounds), and the UK students are generally entitled to student loans for maintenance. The state does not control syllabi, but it does influence admission procedures.

The first degree offered at British universities is the Bachelor's degree (typically three years). During a first degree students are known as undergraduates. Some universities offer a vocationally-based Foundation degree, typically two years in length for those students who hope to continue to take a first degree but wish to remain in employment.

Students who have completed the first degree are eligible to undertake a postgraduate degree, which includes:

• Master's degree (typically taken in one year)
• Doctorate degree (typically taken in three years)

Postgraduate education is not automatically financed by the State, and so admission is in practice highly competitive.

The oldest and best known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Southampton, Bristol. Oxford and Cambridge Universities date from the 12^th and the 13^th centuries. They are independent and consist of a number of colleges. Each college is governed by a Master and has its name and coat of arms. Some colleges are only for men, some only for women, the others admit both sexes. Only the education elite, mostly former public school students, go to Oxford and Cambridge. The universities cling to their traditions, such as public degree ceremonies held in Latin and full academic dress at examinations. There are over a hundred societies and clubs for every interest at the universities. The most popular sport is rowing.